Down the Rabbit Hole
by Schemering
Summary: AU/OOC. The woman he loves is dead...but yet again, maybe not? Edward Cullen is unable to let the memory of Bella Swan die as he begins to catch glimpses of a woman identical to her everywhere he goes. Mysteries and lies abound in Edward's search to find out what happened the day Bella Swan died. What he finds will change his life forever.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own _Twilight_. That is all.

Lost Soul

He pulled his jacket around him tightly to try to ward off the weather. It was cold, rainy, and windy.

 _Welcome to Seattle._

He hadn't shaved in weeks; his boss had told him to shave off the beard if he wanted to keep his job. He didn't actually care, but he wasn't going to survive if he couldn't afford to buy food. He had promised his mother that he would, at least, make the effort to survive. He hadn't made the promise to live a life again though. That would have been broken instantaneously and everything hurt when he tried to think about living without… _her_.

He hunched over and closed himself off to all others by putting his earbuds in and blasting his music.

He wasn't paying any attention to where he was going. He just let his feet do the walking. He had nothing but time at the moment. He wished it weren't true. He wished he could join her in the afterlife. This whole 'living without her' crap was harder than anyone could imagine.

He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply while walking blindly. He felt a soft caress of the breeze and could almost imagine that it was her. A slow, lighthearted smile crossed his face before something that had been moving quickly threw him off balance.

The jolt disconnected his earbuds from his iPod and he, suddenly, heard the screeching of tires and honking. A lot of screaming and people crying out surrounded him.

His eyes opened to look around. That was when he realized that he had been crossing a busy intersection…with his eyes closed.

He frowned, realizing now that he had almost been run over for his stupidity. He really wouldn't have minded dying. It wasn't like he wasn't dead in life already.

His frown deepened when he realized why he hadn't been run over in the end. There was a girl on top of him, face down in his shirt, heaving breaths. She had tackled him like a linebacker. He was surprised she had been able to do it with her short stature and petite frame.

They were both lying on the ground with her on top of him. It was the first direct human contact he had felt in months. At the bakery, he was allowed to wear gloves when touching stuff. Human contact made him feel as if he were unable to breathe. Somehow though, the hazel eyes that stared at him in relief had an effect on him that caused him to remain calm.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

The girl's nose scrunched up as she finally rolled off of him and onto the pavement beside him.

"Sure thing. You?" she asked, seeming genuinely interested in his response.

He shrugged. "I'm alive."

The girl nodded pensively. "So you are. I didn't hurt you when I…"

He dusted off the back of his jacket as he stood up. He offered her his hand and she looked at it, blinking slowly. She hesitantly accepted it before looking around in a slightly paranoid manner.

"Um…I guess I have to go. Keep your eyes on the road, mister…" the girl chastised before hurrying along.

His brow furrowed at the odd exchange. He saw a man with blonde hair eyeing the girl as she ran along. The blonde man kept his head down as he caught up and followed the girl. The blonde man's behavior would have alerted anyone to something suspicious going on.

His frown deepened as he saw the blonde man follow Hazel Eyes. He sighed, knowing he couldn't just ignore what was going to happen after Hazel Eyes had just saved his life…even if he _had_ kind of wanted it to end.

"Hey!" he called out.

Hazel Eyes startled and swung around to look at him with wide eyes. He noticed the blonde man disappear in an alleyway and made sure to keep his distance from it.

"Hey!" he called out again, only stopping when he had caught up to her.

"Yes?" she questioned, looking at him as if he were insane, while scanning the area at the same time.

"You dropped something," he told her, putting air into her hand covertly.

Leaning in, she asked, "Is someone following me?"

He nodded, faux smiling. "That's a good idea. I know just the place. Come with me."

He laid a hand on her back, guiding her to a busier street. He realized that he was heading toward the bakery and frowned. He didn't know why he thought bringing her back here would help her.

He internally shrugged. He could always call the cops on her stalker once they were inside. He could feel the small hairs on the back of his neck prickle, alerting him to the fact that Hazel Eyes' stalker was still behind them. He quickened their pace.

He rushed ahead and opened the door for her, gesturing that she walk inside first. Hazel Eyes looked at him questioningly but did as she was told.

He strode up to her and told her to sit tight. There were enough people inside that he wasn't terribly worried about her stalker getting to her. Before he could walk off though, she grabbed a hold of his hand and looked at him with pleading eyes.

"Please…don't call the cops. Please," she begged him in a quiet voice.

She dropped his hand as if she had touched fire and casted her gaze down. He frowned. Something about her demeanor had changed in between rescuing him and arriving at the bakery. He took her hand and led her toward the restrooms.

A little door off to the side of the restroom doors was closed. He tried it, but it was locked. He banged on the door to get someone's attention. A burly man with a hair net and a slightly stained apron saw him and opened the door for him, quirking an eyebrow at him.

"Hey, um…" he trailed off, not remembering the man's name.

"Emmett," the man offered, a small crease appearing between his eyes.

"Right. Emmett, I was wondering if…" he trailed off, noticing that Emmett was holding the keys to the delivery truck.

"Are you on your way to make a delivery?" he asked again, suddenly inspired.

Emmett looked at him questioningly and eyed Hazel Eyes. Hazel Eyes cast her eyes downward to avoid eye contact as she rubbed her wrist in a self-conscious manner.

"Would you mind sneaking her out of here on the truck?" he asked finally.

Emmett's eyes widened. "Why? What's going on?"

He looked back toward the petite girl and frowned. "Someone is following her. I noticed and I was hoping that you could drive her away from here, even if it is only a few blocks so her stalker won't be able to find her on the way out."

Emmett's eyes widened as he finally understood the situation. He looked torn as he kept an eye on the manager, who was currently overwhelmed with all of the customers and their demands.

"Hurry up, squirt. Follow me. And you, Edward, owe me big time," Emmett whispered right before ushering the girl through the kitchen and out of the manager's sight.

He sighed and rubbed his eyes as he backed away. He waited by the entrance until he saw Emmett peel out of the parking lot in the company truck. He waited a few more minutes, scanning the area for Hazel Eyes' stalker. He saw him come out of the shadows with a scowl and approach the entrance of the bakery.

Edward pulled back and slunk into a corner, hiding behind a group of people. He didn't feel like going a round with a creepy stalker at his place of employment. As soon as the stalker turned away, Edward raced out of the doorway and took off in the opposite direction of his apartment. He needed a coffee anyway. A strong one.

He jogged off toward a nearby Brazilian coffee shop that he had stumbled upon by chance one day after first moving to Seattle. He took his coffee to go and blew on it before drinking, taking a completely different and longer route to his apartment.

Now that Hazel Eyes was safe somewhere else, Edward's mind drifted back to the reason why he no longer wished to live. He wore a chain around his neck with a ring on it. The ring was lovely and the bright blue gem was stunning. He had intended to give this ring to the woman he loved once. It was a shame that that would never happen.

He stomped his non-slip shoes on the entrance before entering his apartment. He ignored the clumps of mud that came loose and took the shoes off before going into his humble one bedroom apartment. He kept his jacket on as he went to turn on his heater. It was freezing cold as it was and he had been rained on.

He didn't bother turning on any lights. He was exhausted. As he approached his room, he heard a light rustling sound come from his bedroom. His brow creased and he hurried to open the door.

The window was open and the curtain was billowing in the wind. He frowned at the window, not remembering having opened it. Then again, he did a lot of things without thinking or without reason nowadays. It was a side effect of not caring anymore.

He went over to it and shut it closed with a huff. He looked around the small apartment to investigate whether everything was where it should be or not and frowned when he opened his shirt drawer. It looked like someone had rummaged through it frantically. Obviously, that had not been his doing. He would just take whatever was on top and slide his work shirt over it when he arrived at the bakery.

Now, he was finally worried. Who had been in his apartment? Why dig through his shirt drawer and yet, take nothing else?

His eyes widened in realization and he dug through the shirt drawer again. His heart plummeted to his feet when he couldn't find his green shirt. He hadn't worn it in over a year, but he had kept it because it reminded him of _her_. It had been her favorite shirt and he had spent many different occasions asking her why she wore it more often than him.

She had always smiled cheekily at him before sniffing it, content to wear a little piece of his life.

That had been _before_. He had thought he had all the time in the world with her. He had never thought that life would cruelly rip her away from him without as much as a warning. To this day, he did not know what she had been doing in that mansion. All he remembered of that day was trying to reach her on her cell when she hadn't shown up to their date.

Edward reached up and held the ring that hung around his neck absentmindedly.

He walked back to the kitchen to retrieve his coffee when he heard a muffled sound come from his bedroom. He whipped around quickly, dropping his coffee, as he went to see if the intruder was still in his apartment.

He swung his door open.

His eyes were betraying him, of course. That was the only explanation to what he saw.

Before he could verify if it had been her or not, the figure disappeared.

Edward ran to the, once again, open window and looked around. No one was there.

"Bella!" he called out.

His head whipped around like crazy as he tried to see if he could catch sight of her again.

"Bella! Answer me!" he shouted again, desperately.

He started to cry as he looked around.

"Answer me, Bella," he whimpered, sliding onto the floor underneath the window.

He sobbed into his hands as he felt his heart slow down, all hope diminished. Of course, it hadn't been _her_. She was dead, never to come back again. He was just seeing things, imagining what he was desperate to have again.

He had hoped for a moment. It was so dangerous for him to harbor that unfounded hope. She was dead and gone. That was the truth. He just needed to accept it.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own _Twilight_. That is all.

Paranoid

Edward's eyes opened to find himself in his dark living room, laying on his sofa. He had been drinking last night. He tried not to make it a habit, but it was difficult when alcohol was the only thing that numbed him to the pain of having lost the person he had loved the most in this world.

He looked around, realizing that it was either incredibly late or extremely early. He picked up the bottle of vodka and set it on his coffee table before turning off his television. The brightness and colors were giving him a headache. Running his hand through his messy hair, he turned the heat down a bit. It had gotten uncomfortably hot during his nap.

He went to the fridge and shielded his eyes for a moment before looking around to see if he had any water. He frowned when he saw a single lavender rose in his fridge. He wasn't stupid; obviously, someone had been in his apartment last night.

He had convinced himself it hadn't been Bella and had proceeded to drown himself in a bottle of vodka. This, however, confused him. They had found her body and called him in to identify her. There was no way she could have just been walking around his apartment, going through his stuff, stealing his shirt, and leaving behind a lavender rose.

He picked the rose up and inspected it. It had been her favorite flower. He set it on the counter and tried to control his breathing. He was getting angrier every second he thought of it. Someone was messing with him, trying to tear at the old wounds that had never healed.

Who was sick enough to be reminding him of his dead girlfriend?

He turned and abruptly punched the wall, making a hole in the plaster. Before he could continue his fit of rage, he heard his phone ringing.

"Who the hell is calling at six in the morning?" Edward growled.

He went to his phone and his heart rate settled as he read the name on the caller i.d. It was his mother calling again.

"Good morning, sweetheart," Esme called once he answered the call.

He ran a hand over his face and huffed out a breath.

"Hey, mom. What's up?" he asked, trying to keep the frustration out of his voice.

"Oh, I just wanted to check on how you were doing. You haven't called in two weeks and I was seriously starting to get…"

He tuned her out as he stared at something on the floor. He bent down to pick it up. It was a hair clip. Unless he was cross dressing in his sleep, he could only imagine that it belonged to the intruder.

This was ridiculous. What all had this person done to his apartment while he had been out? How the hell did they know Bella?

He sighed into the receiver.

"Edward? Edward, are you even listening?" Esme asked, sounding a bit put out.

He sighed again. "Sorry, mom. Yes, I heard you. I'm happy for you. I know the exhibit will go perfect, just like everything else you do."

"I wish you could be here and not so far off…in _Seattle_ ," she said the last part in a scathing tone.

Edward snorted. "Mom, I wish I could be there with you, too, but…things happen. I've changed. Chicago isn't my home anymore. It hasn't been in…"

There was silence on the line for a moment before his mother exhaled into the phone.

"Just…promise you'll call more often. Big cities are always dangerous and you never know what kind of wacko you'll encounter," she requested.

Edward nodded for a moment in a dismissive manner before remembering that she couldn't see him.

"Yeah, mom. I'll call more often. Listen, it's kind of early here so I was just hoping I could…" He didn't want her to feel like he was trying to blow her off.

"Oh! I'm so sorry, sweetheart. I forget all about the time difference sometimes. You go back to sleep and get some rest. I love you," she told him.

"Yeah. Me, too," he replied, before hanging up.

He ran a hand over his face before heading in to shower. He wiped off all the grime and sweat that had accumulated. While he was washing up, his mind flashed back to a memory.

 _"Um…is there an Edward Cullen here?" a sweet, sultry voice asked._

 _He had been dealing with some clients as his mother's intern. She was the person who sought out new artists and gave them a place to display their talent. She had been known to have discovered a lot of great artists at the beginning of their careers. Edward wanted to be like her and help people achieve their dreams._

 _First though, he had to get the clients' information, so he could sell the latest artist's most prized artwork._

 _"Please, wait one moment," Edward told the clients._

 _He walked around the corner, having heard someone ask for him. He paused for a moment when he saw the back of someone's head. He wasn't certain it had been her so he decided to ask politely._

 _"Ma'am, is there any way I can be of service to you?" he asked._

 _The girl whipped around, startled by his deep, velvety voice. She quickly composed herself though and offered him a small smile._

 _He noticed that her face was quickly turning a shade of red that would have been unflattering on anyone other than her. She was beautiful though._

 _She bit her lip for a moment, and he realized that he had been eyeing her in an obvious manner. He needed to rein it in._

 _"I'm looking for a Mr. Edward Cullen?" she said like a question._

 _He nodded and extended his hand. "Pleasure to meet you. I am Edward Cullen. How may I help you, Miss…?"_

 _"Isabella Swan," she finished for him, shaking his hand. "I apologize for arriving without making an appointment, but I just arrived in Chicago this morning. I heard that I could talk to a Mr. Edward Cullen or a Mrs. Esme Cullen."_

 _"My mother? She's not in at the moment. What is it that you were interested in discussing?" Edward asked politely._

 _She had turned pink with pleasure at his comment and looked away shyly._

 _"Well, if it's no bother, I hope you can share these photographs with Mrs. Esme Cullen. My friend, Jacob Black, has been working extremely hard on arranging an exhibit that he can be proud of, but he gets nervous when he has to talk business with people. Maybe…if she sees potential…she would be willing to host his exhibit someday soon," Bella squeaked._

 _Edward raised an eyebrow as he flipped through the photographs. The work was impressive. He knew, without a doubt, that his mother would be interested in this artist._

 _Edward looked up from the photos and grinned at her cheekily._

 _"I'll see what I can do. Will you be there, by any chance?" he asked, daring to go there._

 _She had just stopped blushing when she flushed again at his words._

 _"Well, yes, of course." She answered._

 _He looked at her, his eyes smoldering before a slow smile spread on his face._

 _"I'll just need your name and number so my mother will be able to contact you. I assume you'd be the one to talk to when it comes to the business aspect, correct?" he clarified._

 _She handed him her card. The moment their hands had brushed he felt a fire in the pit of his stomach ignite. It was the most oddly exhilarating feeling he had ever gotten._

 _"I'll be in touch," he promised._

 _Her chest was heaving as she took a step back. She bit her lip, nodded, and walked out._

 _He tried to compose himself before returning to the clients that were waiting for him._

He tried to remember what her touch had felt like, but that same rush that came with it made any attempt at replication unsuccessful. He was lost without her.

As he had said before…he had changed.

He got out of the shower and was drying himself when he saw that his phone's light was flashing. He hadn't heard it ring.

He picked it up, looking at it oddly, before turning on the screen. It was a missed call from the bakery. Maybe they needed him to come in last minute. It was supposed to be his day off, but what else was he doing?

He dialed back and it rang twice before a gruff voice answered. They greeted him after telling him the name of the bakery and asked him how they could help him. He waited for the man to finish the usual spiel before talking.

"It's Edward. I received a call earlier," he exclaimed.

"Oh! Edward! Hey, this is Emmett, the big guy that helped your little friend out yesterday. I have something for you at the bakery and was wondering if you wanted to come pick it up today and take it off my hands."

Edward nodded and ran a hand through his wet hair. "Of course. I'll be there in about half an hour."

He hung up and threw on a sweater and jeans before grabbing a clean jacket out of his closet. He needed to do his laundry soon or he'd have no more clean jackets or underwear left to wear.

He braved the cold, wet Seattle weather as he trudged back to his workplace. Besides the laundromat and the grocery store a few blocks from his apartment complex, he didn't go anywhere besides the bakery. He didn't have any reason to venture out into the world.

When he arrived at the bakery, he saw that it was still closed. He went around to the back and stepped inside through the back door. There was a flurry of activity as the bakers hurried to prepare everything for the early morning crowd. He passed a couple of people on the cleaning crew and nodded his head respectfully in acknowledgement.

He arrived at the register where Emmett was currently counting the drawer to make sure that it wasn't short on cash. His brow was furrowed as he counted the cash in silence, concentrating a little too hard on the task.

Edward leaned against the counter to wait for Emmett. Once Emmett was done, he slammed the drawer closed and turned to face him with a big smile on his face.

"Here you go. Squirt gave this to me yesterday," Emmett informed Edward, pulling out a card from his pocket.

Edward took it from Emmett in confusion. "What's this?"

Emmett shrugged. "She wanted you to have it. She said that she wanted to meet you at the coffee shop around the corner around eight in the morning…so right about now. She also told me to tell you that if you were uncomfortable with the idea of having coffee with your savior then she would be okay with that."

Edward frowned. Was Hazel Eyes trying to blackmail him into seeing her again? He looked at the card and felt guilty at the mere idea of leaving her there waiting when she had saved his life the day before.

"Thanks, Emmett. See you tomorrow?" Edward asked.

Emmett quirked an eyebrow at Edward before beaming at him.

"Yes, sir. Bright and early."

Edward nodded and left through the back. He headed straight to the coffee shop that Emmett had indicated. He saw Hazel Eyes staring down at her cup with the steam slowly lifting up to her face. He noticed the other cup in front of hers and wondered if she was there with someone else.

He stepped up to her and pulled a chair out. She jumped when she saw him and quickly scanned her surroundings with narrowed eyes. She seemed to have a shifty look about her this morning. He imagined it had something to do with the stalker from the day before.

"Good morning," he greeted politely.

She nodded back before blowing at the liquid in her cup and taking a sip. She winced a little, burning her tongue, before she turned back to him.

"That's for you," she pointed at the cup in front of hers.

Edward ran a hand through his hair and thanked her before nearly downing the entire thing. He was used to the feel of piping hot coffee after having lived in Chicago almost all of his life.

"My name is Alice," she introduced herself.

Edward almost chocked on his drink when he heard her name. Maybe he was exaggerating and being overly paranoid, but in between everything that had happened yesterday and this morning, he felt that anything related to Bella had to have been done intentionally. He stared down his nose at the petite girl who had the name of Bella's favorite fictional character. Well, it had been a tie between the Mad Hatter and Alice.

"Are you okay?" Alice asked him in a quiet voice.

He nodded, trying to play off his moment of paranoia. Of course it was a coincidence. Alice was a common enough name; there was no reason to overanalyze this.

"And you are Edward Cullen," she pointed out.

He nodded again, but stopped mid-nod when he realized that she had used his surname. He looked up at her and gave her a questioning glance.

"I'm sorry about prying into your personal life," Alice murmured. "You see, my father's a private investigator. I asked him to look into an Edward who worked at that bakery and he found out all he could about you. It was a matter of caution."

She wasn't entirely forgiven for her 'prying' as she had put it, but he could understand that she wouldn't be the most trusting of people. He was beginning to actually believe that her near encounter with her stalker yesterday had been something of common occurrence.

"Okay? Mind explaining what all of that was yesterday. I mean, if you're going to look into my past, I may as well have some background on the person I helped, too. It wouldn't be very fair for this to be one-sided," he baited her, wondering if she would offer any insight into her life.

He was extremely displeased with the fact that she had been looking into his past. If she could do it, how many others could? If she had done it, had the person messing with him about Bella done it?

She frowned but finally nodded. "Of course. I did pry first. It's only fair."

He raised an eyebrow at her, waiting.

"First, I have to warn you that it wasn't very smart, what you did yesterday. You've just bought yourself a world of problems by helping me," she warned him.

"Are you saying I shouldn't have helped someone who clearly needed my help?" he asked in voice that conveyed his disdain.

Alice pursed her lips. "I'm not saying that I don't appreciate it, Edward. I do…more than you can imagine. I'm just letting you know that… _James_ isn't going to let it go until he gets what he wants."

"James? You mean your stalker?" Edward tried to clarify.

Alice winced at the term. "Yes. Or as I know him, my ex-fiancé."


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own _Twilight_. That is all.

Independence

Edward looked at Alice and wondered if he should take back what he had just said. He had been doing just fine up until now. What would happen if he had to shoulder the burden of what had happened to him and her all at once? He was about to insist that it wasn't necessary when she began.

"I met him three years ago. I'd been attending U-Dub for a year. I was starting my sophomore year when I first met James. I saw him for a second at a party, and he interested me. I have a thing for tall, blonde guys," she chuckled nervously. "I didn't think much about him at the time. I figured I'd never see him again on a campus that big. Unfortunately, I was mistaken.

"I had him as a partner in my chemistry lab. We were both pretty good and I think that awoke a greater interest than I had previously entertained. He was smart, sometimes funny, mysterious, and very sweet to me. I thought it was _love_ , if you can believe that. We were friends and about a year into the friendship, he finally asked me out. I thought it was so adorable the way he seemed nervous at the possibility of little old me rejecting him. I accepted and we dated for a bit. I didn't know then, but something about him felt off. I called a break and was single for two months.

"James never stopped looking for me and asking me to give him another chance. He wore away at my resistance. I finally took him back out of pity. I didn't know how to get out of the situation I'd landed myself in, but I didn't want to break his heart. I let myself believe that my attraction to him was something more- I willed it to be more than it was. That was why, when he proposed, I convinced myself that it would be a good idea to accept.

"Everything was okay for a while. As the end of my senior year was coming to a close, things started to drastically change. I didn't realize it at the time, but he had been grooming me to become obedient, to lack confidence, to feel isolated. That was why I didn't tell anyone the first time he struck me. I thought that I deserved it. Surely, I could have done something better so that he wouldn't have become upset, right?

"We were supposed to be moving into a new home together. We were all packing our stuff so we would be set to go after graduation. Things didn't turn as planned. I had a friend…She had seen the hand shaped bruises and had badgered me until I told her what was happening to me behind closed doors. I didn't know it, but she called my father and told him everything.

"While my father was headed to pick me up, I was returning to my dorm to get all of my things out. James was there though. He yelled at me for telling my friend; somehow, he already knew. He grabbed me and slammed my head into the wall until I was bleeding. He tossed me onto the floor and started kicking me in the ribs. He was out of control and beating me like he'd never done before. He ripped my hair out as I struggled against him…and he did as he pleased.

"The police arrived just before my father did. Apparently, there were still a few stragglers packing up their belongings last minute, and they heard the commotion. The police broke down the door and arrested James before I was transported to a hospital. I didn't speak and barely ate. I shaved off my hair so I wouldn't leave myself vulnerable to someone yanking me back with it. I locked myself away in my father's house for almost a year.

"One day though, my father came home and asked that I give an anonymous group therapy a chance. I was terrified of what other people could do to me or say to me. I was full of self-loathing and helplessness. I didn't want to do it, but my father looked so lost. He insisted that he had failed me. I went to appease him and make him feel like he was helping me. I found, with time, that it was helping me. I made friends with one of the women at the therapy sessions, and she's my best friend now.

"James got out after his family pulled some strings. He didn't bother me for the longest…until he showed back up in my life unexpectedly. I didn't know who to turn to, so I asked my friend for guidance. She helped me gather my courage and apply for a restraining order. Somehow though, all of the evidence had disappeared, and since he hadn't harmed me recently, they denied me the restraining order. That was when Rosalie suggested that I move in with her.

"I didn't want to put her in danger, but she told me that she had people that could protect me. Her twin brother is in charge of a huge corporation of something or other and wouldn't mind extending the protective services he gave his sister to me. I wanted to decline, but I didn't want my father in danger, too. I chose what I felt was the lesser of both evils. I moved to Seattle a couple of months ago…but I've been feeling like something is off for a few weeks.

"Yesterday was one of the few times I was without a bodyguard. If it hadn't been for you, I don't even want to think about what would have happened to me. I owe you so much more than you could ever understand. I wanted to make sure that you weren't somehow involved with James though, and trying to lull me into a false sense of security. That's why I had my father check out your background.

"I really do apologize. If you can look past that invasion of privacy, I would really appreciate it if you accepted my offer to be friends. I don't really talk to anyone in this city. I hardly know anyone, and I can't monopolize my friend's time. I would be glad if, from one savior to another, we could make a friendship out of our chance encounter."

Edward interlaced his fingers and rested his hands on the table as he listened to her story. He was surprised that she wasn't more…affected by the situation at present. What he meant was that he was surprised that she hadn't flinched away from him when he had offered his assistance. He had thought about what she had gone through and didn't believe that he would have been nearly as strong as her, with or without assistance.

He figured he wasn't going to die any time soon. Even if he was living life without Bella, did he really need to shut himself off from everyone?

He looked into Alice's hopeful eyes and thought about it. Perhaps, it was because she had lost a part of herself in a way, too, but he felt obliged to accept her request. Plus, one could never have enough people keeping an eye out for them. He had been raised to be a gentleman, and he couldn't look away from her tragic circumstances any more than he could cut off his own leg.

"I believe…that if I'm already on this guy's list, I might as well do it thoroughly. It seems you've got yourself a new friend, Alice," Edward replied.

Alice smiled brightly at him, and he realized how truly beautiful she was. He felt a protective side begin to establish itself in regards to her. He knew that they would, someday, be the closest of friends if they looked out for one another.

Edward ran a hand through his hair and gave Alice a rueful smile.

"I'll be honest though. I haven't done this whole friendship thing in a while. It's pretty much been me versus the world for a while," he confessed.

Alice looked down at her now cold cup of coffee and frowned. She probably knew about Bella but had been polite enough to keep from mentioning her. She tossed her coffee in a nearby trash can and extended her hand.

"I saved your life, and you saved mine. We're on even ground. Now, I will reteach you what it means to be a friend while you reteach me what it means to have a friend," she retorted.

Edward looked up at her, feeling a bit of amusement. He didn't know why, but she had a way about her that comforted him. It made him feel…hopeful. It helped, in a way, knowing that she was in no way interested in him becoming more than a friend. It made her a safe choice.

He stood from his seat, threw away his empty coffee cup, and took her hand in his.

"Lead the way," he told her.

Alice giggled. "I won't lie. I have no idea where we're going to end up."

She tugged his hand and he followed behind her easily. They were headed toward the more crowded areas in Seattle. Alice ran around the place, pointing out a few things here and there. She was so giddy with excitement that it threw him off when he saw her flinch. She had accidentally bumped into a man.

"Watch where you're going," the man hissed and brought his phone back to his ear.

Edward didn't quell his anger fast enough and tapped the man on the shoulder. The man, irritated with being bothered, turned around and sneered at him.

"It would behoove you to learn some manners. Pray I never catch you talking to a lady like that again," Edward warned in a low, threatening tone.

The man's eyes widened and he walked away quickly.

Alice bit her lip, her eyes tearing up, as she held onto his arm like a life raft. Edward sighed and slowly pulled her in to his side as he mussed her short, spiky hair.

"Don't sweat the small stuff, Alice. Assholes are a dime a dozen. What's important is that you _try_ to live your life the way _you_ want and not the way others insist you live it," he told her.

She huddled against his side and nodded that she had heard him. He moved her along and brought her to a quiet little diner on the edge of one of the busy streets. He opened the door for her and pulled her chair out for her when she chose to sit at the bar. She smiled at him with a little uncertainty but he returned it with a big grin to put her at ease. He wouldn't have noticed how cautious she was if he hadn't been looking for it.

"You are a strong individual, Alice," Edward complimented before handing her a menu.

She smiled and ducked her head. "Everyone used to say that Alice Brandon was a force to be reckoned with back in the day."

"And they will again, I assure you," Edward insisted.

She looked up at him for a moment and he could see the smile in her eyes. She looked down at her menu for a bit before picking what she wanted. She was about to ask him for permission to order something when she remembered her sessions and how they had told them about small ways in which one could regain their independence little by little. She bit back her natural reaction and closed the menu, huffing with certainty.

"Hey. Has anyone helped you?" a flustered waitress asked them.

Edward shook his head. "No, ma'am."

The waitress shook her head disapprovingly before whipping out a pen and paper.

"How can I help the both of you?" she asked.

Edward let Alice order first. He noticed the importance that Alice put into ordering for herself and frowned at the number that James had done on her. His heart ached at the thought that Alice, who seemed to be a spitfire waiting to be unleashed, would have been subservient and to such a coward no less. Anyone who hit a woman was no man, and was less than a coward if he took advantage of them when they were defenseless.

Edward thought about what Alice had told him and how James had 'groomed' her into his puppet. He couldn't handle a strong young woman so he had torn her down in the worst of ways. It made his blood boil.

He was contemplating all that she had shared when she cleared her throat to get his attention.

In the smallest voice he had ever heard, she asked, "What was she like?"

Edward closed his eyes in a pained manner. He knew who she had been referring to.

"Bella?" he asked, feeling the pain that seared through his heart when he said her name aloud.

Alice nodded. "You don't have to say anything if you don't want to."

He shook his head. "You were brave enough to tell me what happened to you. You deserve the same courtesy."

Alice shook her head. "That isn't necessary."

He chuckled. "Maybe it would help you understand me. I think it would be a good idea."

Alice rubbed the tip of her shoe against the chair in a guilty manner. Before Edward could say anything, their food arrived. When they had ordered their burgers, they hadn't realized how big they were going to be.

They occupied themselves with eating and Alice laughed at Edward when he got ketchup on half of his face. He was glad he had shaved in the morning, or that would have been tough to get out of his beard. When she looked repentant or self-conscious about something small, he would encourage her to be herself.

Edward carried her to-go box and led her back to where she said her car was waiting. She had said it in an odd tone, but he shrugged it off and led her back there.

"Now, will you tell me about her?" Alice whispered.

Edward pursed his lips. "She was my reason for breathing. I had never met anyone quite like her. The first time I met her, she was trying to get her friend's work exhibited in my mother's gallery. That was what led me into her life. I had to contact her for the details regarding her friend's artwork. After dealing with her in a business setting, I finally convinced her to go on a date with me after a month.

"She was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen…"

 _"I don't think I'm going after all," Bella called out from upstairs._

 _"Oh, for crying out loud, Bella! I don't care if you wear a paper bag; you'll be perfect anyways! Although I must admit, it is kind of chilly outside for you to be so scantily clad," Edward jested._

 _He could hear her huff out in annoyance, and he grinned._

 _"If you don't come down, I'm going up there!" he jokingly threatened._

 _Her head poked out from around the corner as she glared at him._

 _"You wouldn't dare, Cullen!" she hissed._

 _He didn't register her words as he stared at her face. She had done something with her make-up and it made her eyes look like rich chocolate in color. Her hair was down and curled, swinging out from around the corner where the rest of her was hidden. Her lips were a deep red that made him feel like he was going to be her willing prey tonight._

 _He gulped at the sight of her. He saw her grin at his reaction before she took a deep breath and finally came around the corner. Standing at the top of the stairs was the most devastatingly beautiful woman he had ever seen._

 _She descended the stairs, approaching him, while she chanted, "Please don't fall. Please don't fall."_

 _He chuckled at her mantra and stood at the end of the stairs, ready to take her arm in his. He would ensure that there would be no falling tonight. Well, no falling of the physical kind._

 _"You look…" he trailed off, embarrassed when he heard himself whimper._

 _Her face flushed that red shade that he loved so much. He caressed her face and approached her face with his. She held her breath as he neared her. Her eyes fell closed as his lips neared hers. He was a breath away when someone cleared their throat behind them._

 _Flustered, she pulled away and nearly fell down the last step. Edward was quick to catch her. He winked down at her._

 _"I promise you won't fall while I'm here," he told her._

 _She gulped. "Are you sure you're not too late with that promise?"_

 _He was about to attack her lips when they heard the annoying person who had cleared their throat before._

 _Bella looked up, annoyed. "Hello, Charlie. How may I help you?"_

 _Edward's eyes widened when he heard the name. Bella had told him that she didn't speak to her father very often and that she was living with him temporarily. She didn't have a good relationship with him was all the information she had volunteered regarding him._

"The date was actually perfect. I just don't think she enjoyed herself as much as she would have if her father hadn't appeared that night," Edward lamented.

Alice was intrigued. "Did she ever tell you why she didn't get along with her father?"

Edward nodded. "I know a few things. The main thing was that he ignored her all of her life. She felt like she was always second best to his job. He was chief of police in Chicago when I met him. I imagine that it took a lot of dedication to reach that post. She hated his job almost as much as she claimed to hate him.

"She told me that he hadn't always been that way. Her parents had married young when her father had 'knocked her mother up' as she put it. They were happy and in love. Her mother became very ill after she gave birth to Bella and she almost died. Instead of being with her mother, her father ignored her by putting her on the back burner and investing himself in his job. I think that was why Bella never forgave him. She felt that he didn't care enough about her mother.

"When her parents divorced, her mother took her away from her father. She said that her father didn't even fight for her. She grew up with her mother until she was sixteen. Her mother and stepfather died in a car accident with her as the lone survivor. Her father sent her to boarding school after she recuperated.

"The day I met her, she had just returned from Europe with her friend, Jacob, who she had known since she was a child. She had seen how he had worked on his artwork during their post-college graduation vacation and had respected his love for his work. I think that was because he always included her in everything he did and never pushed her away.

"When I met her, the damage to her relationship with her father was already done. He never earned her forgiveness. Not before she…died," he whispered.

Alice placed a hand on his arm, stopping him.

"Whenever you're ready, I'll be here to listen. I know you aren't yet and I don't want you to do something you don't want to; trust me, I know that more than anyone else," Alice assured him.

He nodded, looking down, and felt as if he could breathe again now that he was off the hook for now. He knew he would share what life had been like with Bella in it- paradise. For now though, those memories still dredged up painful memories within him.

"If you tell me your phone number, I can program it into my phone and shoot you a text. That way, you can save my number," she told him, distracting him from thoughts of Bella for the moment.

He nodded. He rattled off his number and waited for her text before snapping his phone shut. They walked in amiable silence for two more blocks before Alice halted his steps.

"This is me," she poked her thumb out at a sleek, black car.

He noticed that it was parked a street behind where the coffee shop from this morning had been. He wondered if they had been following her all along to make sure she was safe, but decided he would rather not know if big hulking guys were following him. As it was, aforementioned hulking guys were staring at Alice intently from across the street.

"Be safe. Text me when you get home," Edward told her, his protective side rearing its head again.

She bit her lip and nodded after a moment. He watched her make it across the street safely. A bodyguard opened a car door for her and she slid in. One of them glanced at him before getting in the driver's side. The vehicle sped away, leaving Edward waving goodbye at an empty space.

He huffed a sigh. It was good to have Alice around. She had been good company and had successfully distracted him from the gut-wrenching thoughts of Bella for the majority of their time together. He had to admit…he had even had a little fun. It felt like a foreign concept.

He grinned down at the concrete of the sidewalk when he suddenly felt as if someone was watching him. He glanced up and around. He barely caught sight of the profile of the face that had been looking at him.

He gulped and his heart fell to the floor when he saw the rich chocolate of the eyes and the long, curled hair. He took off toward her without another thought. She didn't even spare him a glance as she glided away. It was as if he was chasing a damn ghost; every time he thought he was about to reach her, she would get further away.

He was just a few steps away when she crossed the street. He recognized it as the busy intersection from the day before. Apparently, he had not learned his lesson yet because he ran out just as the lights turned green. He caused a great disturbance amongst the drivers. He hurried to the other side after going around all the stopped vehicles. He ignored all the angry yelling and honking in his concentrated attempt to reach the other side of the road.

When he got there though, all traces of her were long gone.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own _Twilight_. That is all.

The Blonde

Edward arrived at the bakery almost an hour before his shift began. He hadn't slept well last night. He hadn't been able to think clearly after he had lost sight of the woman he had seen the day before. He felt like he was going insane or was hallucinating.

That had to be the only explanation. Why else would he begin to see her after all this time? He had, at long last, lost it.

He washed his hands thoroughly after clocking in for his shift and began preparing pastries. He was lost in thought, so he didn't notice that the manager and Emmett were staring at him, perplexed as they tried to figure out why he was there so early. They shrugged it off though. They had an early morning delivery.

"Go tell Edward to help you arrange the order," the manager told Emmett before going to his office.

Edward was kneading dough when Emmett approached him.

"Hey, Edward. Eric asked me to tell you to help me out with an early morning delivery," Emmett relayed.

Edward nodded. "No problem. Just tell me what part of the order you want me to take care of so we don't overdo it."

Emmett beamed down at him with a bright smile before pointing out what he wanted Edward to take care of. Emmett went to wash his own hands before going to his own station to start on his part of the order. They worked in silence as they completed everything.

Emmett almost asked Edward if he was okay but held back. There was something about Edward that felt a little off. Emmett frowned, remembering when Edward had first come in to start working at the bakery. All of the girls had been fawning over him, but he would awkwardly reject them.

Emmett shuddered when he remembered the day their previous manager had come onto Edward. Edward had been in charge of closing that night. Emmett and Jessica had stepped out to throw away the trash and take a quick smoke break.

" _What do you think of the new guy?" Jessica asked, exhaling smoke through her nose._

 _Emmett shrugged. "What is there to think? He does his job. He's good at it. He covers when someone needs to go do something. He's a decent guy overall. I can't say there is anything I can complain about."_

 _Jessica rolled her eyes._

" _Really? Doesn't he seem a little lonely to you? There's something about him…that's different than most guys. He's…what's the word? Withdrawn? Yeah, that's it. He kind of acts like someone died, you know? He's always got that look on his face," Jessica commented._

 _Emmett raised an eyebrow at her. "You think so?"_

 _Jessica rolled her eyes again._

" _You're such a guy, Emmett. Maybe if you pay attention to him, you'll see that-"_

" _GET THE FUCK OFF!" someone roared from inside._

 _Jessica and Emmett stomped out their cigarettes and ran inside to see their manager, Lauren pressed against an unwilling Edward._

" _Stop acting coy, Edward. I won't tell anyone," Lauren tried to whisper seductively._

 _Edward's nostrils flared._

" _Get off me," Edward responded in a threatening tone._

 _Lauren backed off, alarmed._

" _I quit," Edward said with a sneer. He threw his apron down and walked off._

 _He didn't even acknowledge Jessica or Emmett on his way out._

 _Emmett had talked to the general manager about what had happened and after viewing the cameras, Lauren was fired. They had called Edward back and he reluctantly agreed to return._

Emmett had kept an eye on Edward since then. He wasn't obvious about it. He just made sure that no one bothered him. It was plain to see that Jessica had been correct in her assumption all those months ago. Edward walked around as if he was on autopilot.

He had been extremely surprised when Edward had come around a couple of days ago with a frightened woman. He was even more surprised when he discovered that it was a stranger that he was helping out. Emmett had agreed to assist the little lady in escaping. He actually found it to be some sort of progress with Edward's behavior. The kid had been so closed off that Emmett was surprised he had even noticed the lady was being followed.

When it came down to it, Emmett had to admit that he could easily picture Edward as the type of person to help out a person in need. It matched his polite personality.

Edward had dark circles under his eyes this morning. Emmett wanted to ask how everything had turned out for the little lady, but he kept his mouth shut as he inspected Edward's face. Edward looked…haunted.

Emmett clapped his hands and rubbed them together.

"All right, Edward! Who's it going to be? Do you want to deliver the order?" Emmett asked him.

Edward shrugged. "Sure, unless you had your heart set on it."

Emmett snorted and guffawed. "It's no problem. My heart will go on. Go on ahead and deliver it."

Edward nodded in agreement and boxed everything up while Emmett went up front to get some supplies.

He delivered the order and drove back. It had taken him almost an hour. The traffic in Seattle was ridiculous.

He came back in through the back door and threw on an apron after hanging the truck keys back where they belonged. He already wanted the shift to be over. It was a double edged sword in his case. He had to deal with people when he was at work, but when he was at home, he had to deal with the reality of his life. Either way, he never truly had a moment of peace.

He was nearing the front, where the gloves were at, when he heard Emmett's boisterous laugh. He turned his head to glance at him out of habit and paused all movements when he saw the blonde woman standing before him. She was new.

He could appreciate her aesthetic appeal. He wondered why someone who looked like her would be here. His answer was about to come. The woman turned her head slightly until her gaze fell on Edward. She squinted her eyes for a moment and turned back to Emmett to tell him something.

"Hey, Edward! Someone is looking for you!" Emmett called.

Edward felt all eyes on him. All of the bakers had stopped what they were doing to see who was looking for him. He felt that it was only natural that they would do so. He never volunteered any information about his personal life with anyone. He supposed it was a person's natural inclination to satisfy their curiosity, so he didn't blame them for looking or being so obvious. The problem was, he didn't know who the woman was, so he was as clueless as the rest of them.

Edward walked up to the counter dutifully and extended a hand.

"Edward Cullen. You were looking for me, ma'am?"

The blonde woman pursed her lips and squinted her eyes again before slowly letting a breathtaking smile spread across her face. She shook his hand with a strong grip before releasing her hold.

"I'm Rosalie Hale. I was wondering if you had a moment to spare?" she inquired politely.

Edward looked over his shoulder. Emmett blushed when he caught him looking.

"I'll cover for you for a few," Emmett offered.

Edward nodded. "I won't be long."

He followed the blonde woman, Rosalie outside. She eyed the bench outside the bakery with a bit of disdain before taking a deep breath and sitting down. She patted the spot beside her, indicating that he sit down as well. He did.

"I wanted to thank you for your courageous behavior the other day. You see, I am friends with Alice. We live together; she mentioned that she had told you that. Alice has been through a lot and has managed to slowly overcome the hurdles she's been presented with. As all things that are worthwhile, it's been difficult and it's a work in progress. For that reason, I wanted you to be aware that Alice is a gentle soul; I won't have you mucking up her progress by betraying her confidence.

"I'd like to think of myself as a good judge of character, and I feel, now that I've seen you, that you wouldn't do that to her. However, I was the one who convinced her to move to Seattle with me, and it's my responsibility to look out for her. She's like a sister to me, and I don't want her to get hurt. I just wanted you to know that I won't tolerate anyone hurting her. She's dealt with enough," Rosalie stated.

Edward scowled at Rosalie's words.

"Don't worry about it. I'm not interested in ruining the progress she's made. She asked me to be her friend and I accepted. I don't betray my friends," Edward retorted.

Rosalie's face twisted into her own scowl as she eyed him. She abruptly stood and smiled down at him.

"We will see about that. I suppose time will either prove or disprove your sentiment," she replied.

Edward stood from the bench and brushed off his pants before heading back inside. Rosalie called out to him before he could go in. She approached him purposefully and handed him a red envelope with a ribbon on it.

"It's an invitation to our annual Halloween party. It begins at eight o'clock. Bring your friend," Rosalie directed, pointing her chin in Emmett's general direction.

Edward held back a snort.

"Of course," he answered before heading back inside.

Edward shook his head. He didn't really know what to make of Rosalie. She was a good friend if what Alice had told him she had done for her was any indication. She had a very direct and blunt approach to things, except for her obvious interest in Emmett. She also seemed a little closed off. Edward wondered how someone like Rosalie had befriended Alice.

That was when he remembered Alice mentioning that she had met her at a group therapy session. Did that mean that Rosalie had been a victim of circumstances similar to Alice's?

He frowned at the thought. He didn't like the idea of any woman being hurt in any way.

He looked down at the invitation. He didn't want to go; he knew that much. However, he had agreed to be friends with Alice. Sometimes, friendship included stepping out of one's comfort zone to be there for one's friends.

Edward sighed before readying his work station again.

Emmett looked at Edward thoughtfully. He wondered if he could ask Edward about the blonde. He hadn't seen her before. Perhaps, Edward could introduce them.

Before leaving that afternoon, Edward stopped Emmett on his way out.

"Emmett, the woman from earlier, Rosalie invited us to her Halloween party for helping her friend the other day," Edward told him.

Emmett's eyes widened. "That little lady is friends with the blonde?"

Edward nodded. "If you want to go, I can send you the information. Just give me your number."

Emmett agreed, excited at the prospect of seeing the blonde, Rosalie again. Emmett clapped Edward on the back in a friendly gesture before leaving.

"Have a good day, Edward!" Emmett exclaimed before running off to his car.

Edward's brow furrowed. As soon as Emmett had stepped away, he had felt the hair on the back of his neck prickle. Before he could look around, something shattered a glass bottle that had been just a few inches away from him, by the doorway.

Edward jumped back in surprise before poking his head out again. He frowned down at an arrow on the floor. He gingerly picked it up with his glove clad hand and inspected it before looking around.

Movement caught his attention from a nearby rooftop. All he saw was the billowing of curled, brown hair before the figure disappeared completely from his sight.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own _Twilight_. That is all.

Victim

Edward was making an effort. He really was. He had made the mistake of mentioning Alice to his mother, and she had been overjoyed at the prospect of him making friends again. He could practically hear her sigh of relief when he mentioned Alice. However, that didn't mean that his mother knew when to stop. She had insinuated that if it got serious between the two, he should bring her home for Christmas.

Edward sighed. After he had made a point of telling her that she was only ever going to be a friend, Esme had requested that he make an effort for her to not push Alice away.

That was currently what brought him to this particular moment. He was trying really hard to keep the scowl off his face. Dealing with Alice was one thing; having to spend the day before Halloween with Alice, Rosalie, and Emmett was another matter completely.

Alice held onto his hand as they walked through the bustling city. They were at a party favor/costume store to find something for Edward. Emmett had ordered his costume a few weeks ago online because his measurements were difficult to come by. Alice had insisted that they find Edward a disguise.

Rosalie and Emmett were, mostly, ignoring them at the moment. Apparently, Alice had given Emmett her phone number and offered to pay him back for his kindness with a favor. The favor had come in the form of Rosalie's number. They were seeing each other now. Edward didn't really understand how their relationship worked considering that Rosalie came off as a snob and high maintenance. Perhaps, Emmett had magical powers.

"We'll meet you at the coffee shop across the street. We're just going into this last store. If we don't find anything, I'm sewing something for him myself," Alice told Rosalie.

Edward's eyes widened at Alice. He really had to make an effort to find something now. Rosalie laughed, already crossing the street with Emmett.

Alice jumped up and down when she spotted the superhero costumes. She snatched one off a hanger and eyed it speculatively.

"Try this on," she insisted, thrusting it into his arms.

Edward looked down at the outfit and back up at Alice with a raised eyebrow.

"Edward, you're going to have to wear a mask anyway. You might as well wear a cool one," she exclaimed with a bright smile.

He couldn't deny her when she looked this excited. He let a small smile slip in return before quickly going into a dressing room and trying it out.

"Come out, Edward! Let me see it!" Alice shouted.

He buried his face in his hands. This was wounding to his pride. The top part of the costume was okay, but the bottom part was what had him feeling unmanly. He took a deep breath and revealed his get up to Alice. Her face turned purple for a moment; she looked like she was holding her breath in. Without warning, she burst into a fit of giggles, clutching her sides to keep herself together.

"I can…I can fix it," Alice barked out, laughing.

Edward raised an eyebrow and stood before her, hands on his hip, assuming a superhero stance that threw Alice into a raging new fit of giggles. After a few minutes, she composed herself enough to breathe.

"I can make a few alterations and have it ready by tomorrow night. Never fear, Edward. Alice is here."

He ran a hand over his face in mortification. His junk was practically outlined in the Batman costume. He couldn't wait for this party to be over and done with. He purchased the Batman outfit and followed his tiny friend to the coffee shop, not really having much of a choice due to her yanking his arm to make him follow.

Rosalie and Emmett were whispering something to one another. It seemed that they were having a sexually charged moment, which made Alice yank him back to the line to get coffee. Alice, uncomfortably, let go of his hand. The sight of Rosalie and Emmett at that moment was enough to make anyone squeamish.

When they returned to the table, Rosalie was speaking with Emmett in a serious voice.

"…doesn't really allow visitors. It is his house, and I try to respect his rules the best I can. He already let up in a big way by allowing us to host the Halloween party at home," she was saying.

"What are you talking about, Rose?" Alice asked, plopping down in the seat across from her.

Rosalie rested her chin on her hand and sighed. "I was about to explain the whole Maria situation."

Alice looked down at the table and picked at the edge of it. Something about what Rosalie had just said made Alice uncomfortable. Edward threw an arm around the back of her chair and rubbed her back comfortingly.

Rosalie cleared her throat. "Jasper, my twin, takes being a gentleman to the extreme. He is a businessman and on one such occasion, he had business to attend to with a potential partner so he made his way down to Chicago. While he was there, he happened upon a badly beaten woman. He thought she was dead at first. He rushed her to the hospital and found out that she was alive. He tried to find any relatives that were looking for a girl matching her description, but it was futile. She didn't seem to have anyone. When she recovered, he took her under his wing.

"I don't know much about her, but he says she went through some pretty traumatic stuff for the bulk of her life. He feels a responsibility towards her and insists on taking care of her. She pretty much stays locked up in her room. Sometimes, she'll roam the house or will be in the living room with her tutor. Jasper wants her to be able to become independent one day. I think he has a crush on her but refuses to pursue it for some unknown reason. Probably her background."

Alice was furiously picking at the edge of the table now. Edward's eyes widened as he realized why this Maria woman seemed to have this effect on Alice. Alice must like Jasper and was jealous of Maria for being the object of Jasper's affection. Edward looked down at his friend and frowned. It was unfortunate that the one person she wanted to let in her life in that way didn't seem to return her feelings.

Edward put a hand over Alice's to stop her. He held it in his to keep her from taking her frustration out on the table.

"That's unfortunate that this Maria lady went through something traumatic like that. You said he found her in Chicago? I used to live there. How long ago? Perhaps, I heard about it on the news," Edward asked.

Rosalie shrugged. "It was over a year ago. It was around mid-September if I recall correctly."

Edward stopped breathing for a moment. A year ago around mid-September…

Alice looked up at him curiously when she felt his grip tighten around his hand. She frowned at his expression before it clicked. Of course the mention of that would bring back terrible memories. She remembered reading the report about him and the mention of his girlfriend dying on September 15th of the previous year. She squeezed his hand back in a comforting manner.

The action seemed to snap him out of his thoughts and he frowned down at his coffee cup as he released her hand. Alice pursed her lips when she saw that he had the same look on his face that he had worn the day she had met him. He had seemed to have been getting better recently, but the mention of _her_ seemed to get to him.

Alice found her mind wandering and wondered if anyone would ever love her as much as Edward loved Bella.

"Come on, Edward. I need to make one last stop before I go home. I'll see you later, Rose. It was nice seeing you again, Emmett," Alice exclaimed, before ushering Edward out of the coffee shop.

Edward took a deep breath in once he was outside. His chest throbbed with pain. Alice laid a gentle hand on his arm but he shrugged it off.

"I'm fine, Alice," he insisted.

"Hmm," Alice responded.

He grabbed a hold of her hand, knowing she still got scared when she walked in big crowds. She huddled closely to his side as they walked. The silence that hung over them was heavy with the memory of a dead girl.

"Are you ever going to finish telling me about her?" Alice whispered.

Edward sighed. "Not now, Alice. I don't feel up to it today."

She nodded and rubbed her wrist in a self-conscious manner. She didn't want to push him, but she also wanted him to know that he would always have a friend in her if he needed to talk. She hoped she wasn't being too pushy. She felt that it would do him some good to vent about what had happened though; that was why she felt that she couldn't just let it go.

"Do you have a picture of her?" she asked, hoping she wasn't asking for too much.

A small smile graced his lips for a moment. He pulled out his wallet and showed her the one he always carried around with him.

Alice had never seen any pictures of Bella Swan. She could easily see why he had fallen in love with her. Her eyes shined brightly, showing a depth and kindness that was uncommon nowadays. A light smattering of freckles dotted her button nose making it look even more adorable. Her smile was a like a thousand mega watt bulb with the way it lit up the entire picture. Her hair was long and loosely curled in the image and she had a floral wreath decorating the top of her head. She was in a white summer dress holding a bouquet of violet roses.

Alice's eyes widened when she saw the Edward that stood beside Bella. He was laughing, his eyes fixed on her face, gazing at her in adoration. He looked lively and _so_ happy. His odd bronze hair was blowing all over the place; it had probably been a particularly windy day when the image was taken. His green eyes sparkled with excitement and love.

Alice looked up at him and back down to the photograph. She had never seen that look on his face. She would have loved to have met him when he still had the will to live. After all, Alice could recognize the lack of caring about what happened to one's self easily; she had been like that once. She knew that the look lessened a little more each day, but it always came back full-fledged when anyone brought up something that reminded him of Bella.

She tugged him into a fabric store and had him help her choose a shade that was the closest to his Batman costume as they could find. She bought a few needles and a few other things that Edward didn't recognize. He followed her back outside.

Alice was about to tug him back toward the direction they had come from when something caught her eye. She stopped pulling him and just stared across the street. There was a restaurant across the street that seemed to be extremely popular. They had a small outdoors area, which would have been a curious thing considering that Seattle had perpetually stormy weather, where smokers and couples were gathered at their own little tables.

Alice's unwavering gaze was trained on a blonde man and a brunette woman. The woman was upset; Alice could see that the woman's eyes were red and filled with tears. The man was gripping her hands in his and had a stern look on his face. Alice felt like her heart was in her throat.

There was no way that Bella Swan could be alive. Yet, Alice still had the image of her in the photograph fresh in her mind. It made no sense that she would be alive and in Seattle of all places. Alice's brow furrowed for a moment before training her eyes back on Edward.

He was looking down at his shoes, lost in thought, the way he was prone to do. Alice had never been happier about this. If he saw this mystery woman, he might freak out and she didn't want to know what he would do. If he saw her with another man, Alice shuddered to think what would occur.

She tugged his hand forcefully, turning him completely away from the mystery woman. Alice was about to turn away as well when the woman raised her gaze and her eyes settled on her. Alice saw the woman bristle and glare at Alice with hatred. The man that was sitting with her looked up and stared at Alice and Edward. Edward finally snapped out of his thoughts when he noticed that Alice wasn't moving.

He caught her stare looking behind them, and turned around. Alice saw the woman's eyes widen right before she got up from the table, walking back to the indoor area of the restaurant, the door slamming behind her. Edward looked back at a table with a blonde man, who was throwing money down on a table, in confusion. What had caught Alice's attention?

The man didn't look in their direction before disappearing inside the restaurant.

Alice was quiet the rest of the walk home. Edward didn't know what had happened back there, but it was evident that she had been affected by it. He pulled her into his side and wrapped an arm around her to comfort her. He would ask her about it later.

He stopped just in front of the gates that surrounded the property where she lived. He stared at the ostentatious mansion behind the gates and wondered how Rosalie and Alice were going to decorate everything overnight. That was a lot of land to cover.

Alice put a hand on his shoulder, regaining his attention.

"Be here around seven-thirty tomorrow. I'll have your costume ready by then and you can finish getting ready here," she ordered him.

He saluted her. She gave him a weak smile in response before the gate buzzed open and she walked away.

He frowned at her retreating form. Alice was acting odd. What had he missed?


End file.
